So last week, The IlluminaTMZ released a second video actually showing the assault of Janay Palmer Rice by her then fiance Ray Rice, former Baltimore Raven and June 19ers fantasy player. I expressed my feelings on the initial video, then again following reaction to his diminutive 2 game suspension, and now the story has been given new life because people are realizing that how poorly this was handled from day one. Suddenly people are curious why wasn’t he imprisoned, why was he only given a 2 game suspension (ironically enough he would’ve been reinstated today), and of course, why did Janay stay with him and has since married him and to this day is riding out for him.

This sparked an online debate of why do women stay, why do women leave, and why do outsiders even care about what life she chooses to live. If you’ve been reading this blog or follow me on Twitter, you know I’m staunchly against a man hitting a woman; yes its a double standard, no I don’t give a fuck. I ain’t pass the the Bar but I know a little bit, enough to know it’s against the law to assault people. That’s not me concerning myself with people’s private lives, that’s not me expressing fake outrage. I’m also aware in different eras, this may not have always been as black and white as it appears to me now.

I’ve had discussions with other people who support Janay standing by her family and trying to push forward. They cite what their grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles have done and sometimes shit just happens. I don’t agree, but I can understand. Some people are just conditioned to love being hard, adverse, a struggle, and as I’ve expressed numerous times here, it doesn’t have to be. I don’t want a woman I would have to strike to gain respect, nor a woman who doesn’t have enough respect for me as a man to strike me. Yes, we all seen the old grumpy couple who seemingly abhor each other but still together because, where else they going to go. We’ve also seen women stick around abusive relationships and be killed by that very person. I personally feel there’s violence where there’s no respect, no respect where there’s no love, but this time I have no law to support it, I’ll just be in my camp they can be in theirs.

As for my final words on Raymell and Janay, because I legit cannot debate this anymore for my own faith in humanity; what I saw in that video I do not believe was a “bad night” or a mistake. I’ve knocked out grown men and immediately after felt some remorse, this man KO’ed his fiancée and couldn’t even pick her up or pull her skirt down. I don’t agree with her standing by her man, but I can understand it to a degree. I think the NFL shouldn’t be held accountable for what the law should be doing. I don’t believe that was his first time striking her, for her and their daughter’s sake I can only pray it’s his last.